U.S. patent application number 16/560010 was filed with the patent office on 2020-03-05 for method and appratus for the production of garments.
This patent application is currently assigned to GERBER TECHNOLOGY LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is GERBER TECHNOLOGY LLC. Invention is credited to Thomas Andrew GORDON, Nicholas JOURILES, Elizabeth KING, Karsten H. NEWBURY.
Application Number | 20200074521 16/560010 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 67957457 |
Filed Date | 2020-03-05 |
![](/patent/app/20200074521/US20200074521A1-20200305-D00000.png)
![](/patent/app/20200074521/US20200074521A1-20200305-D00001.png)
![](/patent/app/20200074521/US20200074521A1-20200305-D00002.png)
![](/patent/app/20200074521/US20200074521A1-20200305-D00003.png)
![](/patent/app/20200074521/US20200074521A1-20200305-D00004.png)
![](/patent/app/20200074521/US20200074521A1-20200305-D00005.png)
![](/patent/app/20200074521/US20200074521A1-20200305-D00006.png)
United States Patent
Application |
20200074521 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
NEWBURY; Karsten H. ; et
al. |
March 5, 2020 |
METHOD AND APPRATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF GARMENTS
Abstract
A garment production system, comprising a virtual development
environment configured to receive and store in a database thereof
body information relating to a user, establish measurements for the
user based on the body information, display, on a display device
connected to the virtual development environment, a virtual
representation of the user using the established measurements,
customize one or more garments for the user based on the
established measurements, display, on the display device, a virtual
representation of the one or more customized garments on the
virtual representation of the user, receive and store in the
database personalization information from the user regarding the
one or more customized garments, and alter the one or more
customized garments and the virtual representation thereof based on
the received personalization information for manufacture
thereof.
Inventors: |
NEWBURY; Karsten H.;
(Frisco, TX) ; KING; Elizabeth; (Tolland, CT)
; JOURILES; Nicholas; (Tolland, CT) ; GORDON;
Thomas Andrew; (Glastonbury, CT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
GERBER TECHNOLOGY LLC |
Tolland |
CT |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
GERBER TECHNOLOGY LLC
|
Family ID: |
67957457 |
Appl. No.: |
16/560010 |
Filed: |
September 4, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62727400 |
Sep 5, 2018 |
|
|
|
62734666 |
Sep 21, 2018 |
|
|
|
62734711 |
Sep 21, 2018 |
|
|
|
62816804 |
Mar 11, 2019 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/0643 20130101;
D06P 5/30 20130101; B26D 5/20 20130101; B65H 2801/21 20130101; D06H
1/02 20130101; D06P 1/922 20130101; G06N 20/00 20190101; G06F
16/2379 20190101; B65H 23/1888 20130101; B65H 2301/5155 20130101;
B65H 20/02 20130101; B65H 2701/174 20130101; B65H 20/34 20130101;
B65H 2301/5151 20130101; B65H 20/30 20130101; G06Q 30/0621
20130101; D06H 7/24 20130101; B65H 2301/544 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 30/06 20060101
G06Q030/06; G06F 16/23 20060101 G06F016/23; G06N 20/00 20060101
G06N020/00 |
Claims
1. A garment production system, comprising: a virtual development
environment configured to: receive and store in a database thereof
body information relating to a user; establish measurements for
each of the user based on the body information; display, on a
display device connected to the virtual development environment, a
virtual representation of the user using the established
measurements; customize one or more garments for each of the user
based on the established measurements; display, on the display
device, a virtual representation of the one or more customized
garments on the virtual representation of the user; receive and
store in the database personalization information relating to the
user regarding the one or more customized garments; and alter the
one or more customized garments and the virtual representation
thereof based on the received personalization information.
2. The garment production system according to claim 1, wherein said
body information is received via one or more of: scanning; manual
input; machine learning by the virtual development environment; and
heuristics by the virtual development environment.
3. The garment production system according to claim 2, wherein the
virtual development environment is further configured to predict
and propose the one or more customized garments for the user based
on the machine learning.
4. The garment production system according to claim 1, wherein said
body information comprises one or more of gender, height, weight,
age, physical dimensions, ethnicity, body mass index, body density,
and posture of the user.
5. The garment production system according to claim 1, wherein said
personalization information is received via one or more of:
scanning; manual input; and machine learning by the virtual
development environment; and heuristics by the virtual development
environment.
6. The garment production system according to claim 5, wherein the
virtual development environment is further configured to predict
and propose the one or more customized garments for the user based
on the machine learning.
7. The garment production system according to claim 5, wherein the
virtual representation is configured to update in real time based
on learned personalization information by the virtual development
environment.
8. The garment production system according to claim 1, wherein said
personalization information is updated in the database to reflect
received changes to preferences for the user.
9. The garment production system according to claim 8, wherein the
virtual development environment is further configured to
automatically re-customize garments for the user based on received
changes to the personalization information.
10. The garment production system according to claim 8, wherein the
virtual representation is configured to update in real time based
on newly received personalization information.
11. The garment production system according to claim 1, wherein
said personalization information comprises one or more of preferred
fit, style, fabric, color, and pattern of the user.
12. The garment production system according to claim 1, wherein
said body information is updated in the database to reflect
received changes to the body information of the user.
13. The garment production system according to claim 12, wherein
the virtual development environment is further configured to
automatically re-customize garments for the user based on received
changes to the body information.
14. The garment production system according to claim 12, wherein
the virtual representation is configured to update in real time
based on newly received body information.
15. The garment production system according to claim 1, wherein the
virtual representation is three-dimensional.
16. The garment production system according to claim 1, wherein the
virtual development environment is further configured to initiate
manufacture of the one or more customized garments.
17. The garment production system according to claim 16, wherein
the virtual development environment is further configured to store
in the database received information regarding one or more of:
satisfaction of the one or more users based on feedback or repeated
orders; returns of the one or more customized garments for the
user; genealogy of the one or more fabrics; prior order history for
the user; and order history of additional users with similar likes
and attributes.
18. The garment production system according to claim 17, wherein
said received information is stored on an online ledger.
19. The garment production system according to claim 17, wherein
the virtual development environment is further configured to
re-customize the one or more garments for the user based on the
received information regarding satisfaction of the one or more
customized garments.
20. The garment production system according to claim 16, wherein
the virtual development environment is further configured to
initiate manufacture of the one or more customized garments by
combining a plurality of the one or more customized garments into a
set.
21. The garment production system according to claim 17, wherein
the virtual development environment is further configured to
combine the one or more customized garments from the user and the
additional users to optimize printing, spreading, cutting, and
sewing.
22. The garment production system according to claim 1, further
comprising a sensor configured to identify garments according to a
fiber scan and confirm the same to the virtual development
environment.
23. The garment production system according to claim 1, wherein the
virtual development environment is further configured to identify
an amount of material required for the one or more customized
garments to be printed and cut.
24. The garment production system according to claim 1, wherein the
virtual development environment is further configured to suggest an
optimum fit, style, fabric, color, and pattern of the fabric based
on an intended customized garment.
25. The garment production system according to claim 1, wherein the
virtual development environment is further configured to
automatically manufacture additional one or more garments for the
user based on received personalization information.
26. The garment production system according to claim 1, wherein the
virtual development environment is further configured to connect
the user with manufacturers and designers in an online marketplace.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Application Ser.
No. 62/727,400, filed Sep. 5, 2018, 62/734,666, filed Sep. 21,
2018, 62/734,711, filed Sep. 21, 2018, and 62/816,804, filed Mar.
11, 2019. The disclosures and teachings of each of the foregoing
references are incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to systems and methods for the
automated production of garments. More specifically, the invention
relates to systems and methods for the fully- or partly-automated
production of garments managed by digital work flow.
Description of the Related Art
[0003] Garment manufacturing involves many processing steps,
beginning with an idea or design concept and ending with a finished
product. The garment manufacturing process involves product design,
customization/alteration and fit, pattern making, fabric selection,
marker marking, spreading, cutting, sewing, ironing, quality
control.
[0004] Garment factories receive fabric from textile manufacturers
in large bolts. Many garment manufacturers perform quality
assurance upon receipt of the fabric to ensure that the quality of
the fabric meets customer standards. This step is performed by
manually spot-checking each bolt of fabric using a backlit surface
to identify textile defects such as color inconsistency or flaws in
the material. Fabrics that fail to meet customer standards are
returned to the textile manufacturer.
[0005] After the fabric has been accepted, it is transferred to the
spreading and cutting area of the garment manufacturing facility.
The fabric is spread either manually or using a computer-controlled
system in preparation for the cutting process. The fabric is spread
to: allow operators to identify fabric defects; release the tension
and stress in the fabric; and ensure each ply is accurately aligned
on top of the others in preparation for multiply cutting.
[0006] The number of plies in each spread is dependent on the
fabric type and cutting equipment, and size of the garment
order.
[0007] Next, pre-printed garment patterns or markers are laid out
on top of the spread for manual cutting or programmed into a
control computer for automated cutting. Lastly, the fabric is cut
to the shape of the garment patterns using either manually operated
cutting equipment or a computerized cutting system.
[0008] Screen printing occurs when specified by the customer.
Screen printing may be requested to put logos or other graphics on
garments or to print brand and size information in place of
affixing tags. This process may have varying levels of automation
or may largely be completed at manually operated stations. Screen
printing can be done on cut pieces or completed garments.
[0009] Garments are then sewn in an assembly line, with the garment
becoming complete as it progresses down the sewing line. Sewing
machine operators receive a bundle of cut fabric and repeatedly sew
the same portion of the garment, passing that completed portion to
the next operator. For example, the first operator may sew the
collar to the body of the garment and the next operator may sew a
sleeve to the body. Quality assurance is performed at the end of
the sewing line to ensure that the garment has been properly
assembled and that no manufacturing defects exist. When needed, the
garment will be reworked or mended at designated sewing stations.
This labor-intensive process progressively transforms pieces of
fabric into finished garments. Care, content and country of origin
labels must be sewn into the garment during construction or printed
on the garment.
[0010] After a garment is fully sewn and assembled, it is
transferred to the ironing section of the facility for final
pressing. Each ironing station consists of an iron and an ironing
platform. The irons are similar looking to residential models but
have steam supplied by an on-site boiler. Workers control the steam
with foot pedals and the steam is delivered via overhead hoses
directly to the iron. In most facilities, the ironing platforms are
equipped with a ventilation system that draws steam through the
ironing table and exhausts it outside the factory.
[0011] In the last steps of making a finished product, garments are
folded, tagged, sized, and packaged according to customer
specifications. Also, garments may be placed in protective plastic
bags, either manually or using an automated system, to ensure that
the material stays clean and pressed during shipping. Lastly,
garments may be placed in cardboard boxes or hung on hangers and
shipped to customers.
[0012] Accordingly, traditional legacy garment manufacture requires
many discrete stages and manual intervention throughout the
process. Production of fabrics including, rotary screen printing as
well as weaving and knitting of fabrics are manufacturing process
steps traditionally performed in facilities specializing in these
production methods, more often than not taking place remotely from
the facility performing the garment cutting and sewing functions.
Generally, after fabric is produced and/or printed, it returns to a
completed roll or bolt, which then must be transferred to a
different machine for aligning and cutting of the same. The dynamic
of the garment manufacturing process is changing with the advent of
digital fabric printing which offers an affordable means to produce
printed material on-site in the same production facility that cuts
and sews the finished product and to produce in smaller batches as
needed. However, digital fabric printers are still set up to output
rolled imaged fabric and in entire rolls before being manually
removed from the printer and physically moved to the spreading or
feeding device just ahead of the cutter. The prior known systems
also require printing of a partial or complete roll of material in
a given pattern without knowledge of, or reliance on, the final
shape of the parts to be cut. This naturally leads to wasted
material which has been printed in a given pattern in excess of the
material needed. A more integrated and efficient manufacturing
process is needed to turn a customer's desired garment design into
a finished garment via on-demand and automated garment production
process using specified amounts of material to be printed, spread,
cut, and sewn.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The system of the present invention (hereinafter referred to
as the "Digital Garment System") comprises a virtual development
environment configured to receive and store in a database thereof
entered body information relating to one or more users, establish
measurements for each of the one or more users based on the entered
body information, display, on a display device connected to the
virtual development environment, a virtual representation of the
user using the established measurements, customize one or more
garments for each of the one or more users based on the established
measurements, display, on the display device, a virtual
representation of the one or more customized garments on the
virtual representation of the user, receive and store in the
database personalization information from each of the one or more
users regarding the one or more customized garments, and alter the
one or more customized garments and the virtual representation
thereof based on the received personalization information.
[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the virtual representation of the
one or more garments is a personal avatar for a customer. The
avatar may be personalized for the customer based upon various
factors, including but not limited to gender, height, weight, age,
ethnicity, physical dimensions, body mass index, body density, and
posture. Using the avatar and a customer's personalized
information, the Digital Garment System can create on-demand,
customized garments to meet the particular customer's
specifications, as well as their personal preferences regarding
garments. Preferably, the Digital Garment System can then learn to
predict and propose customized garments for a user taking into
account both the personalization measurements and their personal
preferences.
[0015] In another embodiment of the invention, the Digital Garment
System facilitates the creation of a multi-sided marketplace where
anyone from customers to designers to manufacturers can enter and
begin interaction with the marketplace on any chosen level to
obtain customized garment production.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] The features and advantages of the invention are apparent
from the following description taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings in which:
[0017] FIG. 1A illustrates a number of customers interacting with
the Digital Garment System;
[0018] FIG. 1B is an illustration of a customer's body being
scanned for use in the Digital Garment System;
[0019] FIG. 10 is an illustration of 3-D simulations of garment
designs by the Digital Garment System;
[0020] FIG. 1D illustrates submission of a finished garment design
to the Digital Garment System;
[0021] FIG. 1E is an illustration of a garment manufacturing
facility;
[0022] FIG. 1F illustrates the combination of customer orders by
the Digital Garment System;
[0023] FIG. 1G illustrates the printing of fabric by the Digital
Garment System;
[0024] FIG. 1H illustrates a scan-to-cut operation of the Digital
Garment System;
[0025] FIG. 1I illustrates the robotic picking and bundling of
garment parts by the Digital Garment System;
[0026] FIG. 1J illustrates bundles of garment parts transported to
robotic sewing machines by the Digital Garment System;
[0027] FIG. 1K illustrates delivery of the finished garment to the
customer;
[0028] FIG. 1L illustrates the receipt of the finished garment by
the customer; and
[0029] FIG. 2 illustrates a multi-sided marketplace enabled by the
Digital Garment System.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0030] It will be appreciated that the Digital Garment System in
accordance with the invention facilitates production of customized
garments for manufacture that meet a customer's specifications. The
Digital Garment System can propose and customize a garment for a
customer, and then coordinate and monitor every facet of the
manufacturing process, including printing, cutting, sewing,
finishing, inventory, and product distribution. For avoidance of
doubt, the term "printing" shall include 3D printing
[0031] As used herein, the term "garment" is used in its broadest
sense and is intended to include not only apparel but also to
include any flexible material. In the art, garment manufacturing
often utilizes weaving looms, knitting machines that produce plain
and printed fabrics, printers that print patterns, colors, and
other marks on fabric that may be used in manufacturing and
information tracking. Garment manufacturing also often utilizes
cutters that cut based on previously entered information.
[0032] FIG. 1A illustrates a number of customers interacting with
the Digital Garment System via a virtual development environment,
which may be online or on a local network. Such customers may
design their own custom garments, shop existing styles or choose
from artificial intelligence ("AI")-driven suggestions, as will be
described in further detail below.
[0033] In FIG. 1B, a customer's body measurements are entered or
scanned, and a personal avatar for the customer is selected and
displayed in a display of the Digital Garment System. All entered
measurements are stored in a database within the Digital Garment
System. The avatar may be personalized for the customer based upon
various factors, including but not limited to gender, height,
weight, physical dimensions and ethnicity. The avatar may also take
into account body density, i.e., body fat versus muscle, or BMI,
all of which can effect garment fit. Body density can either be
measured electronically or input directly by the customer. Body
density is an important consideration in obtaining the proper fit,
for example, with elastic garments. The avatar may also be
customized to take posture into account. Posture will affect the
drape and therefore overall look of a garment. Customers may also
provide their own avatar with previously defined body measurements.
All such information may be input into the Digital Garment System
by a body scanner 20 (as seen in FIG. 1B), by manual input or some
other mechanism of electronic transmission, and all information is
then stored in a virtual database of the Digital Garment
System.
[0034] Once exact measurements are established for the customer,
the measurements are pushed to the Digital Garment System for
pattern generation. The Digital Garment System starts with a base
pattern of the desired design from a pattern library that is
closest to the customer measurements and then the pattern is
adjusted accordingly to meet the exact measurements.
[0035] In FIG. 10, the customer is asked whether they would like to
see a 3-D simulation of the product on a display 30 of an
electronic device 32 having a memory and a processor. If so, the
Digital Garment System uses the customer avatar, adjusted to the
customer's exact measurements, so that the consumer may virtually
"try on" any number of selected products using, by way of example,
the Avametric smart phone application to make any final fit or
design adjustments. See, https://www.avametric.com/(last viewed
Aug. 27, 2019). The Amazon Echo Look may provide the customer with
further style guidance.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0186JAEWK?taq=googhydr-20&hvadid.about.2307953-
75717&hvpos-1 ft
&hvnetw.about.q&hvrand''12555892582439046443M (last viewed
Aug. 27, 2019).
[0036] It will be appreciated that fit is subjective. One customer
may prefer their clothing tight as compared to another customer
whom may prefer it loose. User preferences can also be stored in a
database of the Digital Garment System. Therefore, by reviewing the
entered user preferences, AI may be applied so that the system will
learn customer fit preferences either based on their answers to
particular questions, the garments that they wearing from their
closet, or garment returns, As a goal is to minimize returns, if a
customer returns a garment because the fit was too tight, even
though this fit was what they asked for, the system learns that
this customer does not like to wear garments with that tight a fit
and thereby improves the fit even though the customer's body
measurements haven't changed. In this regard, feedback is obtained
from the customer from after receipt of the garment and is fed back
to garment design because ultimately the Digital Garment System
needs to gauge customer satisfaction with a particular garment
produced based either on feedback and/or repeated orders. Customers
can provide additional information to adjust their fit preferences,
or integrate with other fit management applications via application
programming interfaces ("APIs"), as for example TrueFit, to import
fit information and preferences.
[0037] Advantageously, the Digital Garment System may recognize
certain attributes of a customer's avatar that change over time.
For example, perhaps the customer's size changes a bit as they get
older. Or the customer is not as fit anymore, or perhaps loses
weight and becomes more fit. Or the customer's preferences change.
The Digital Garment System may automatically update customer
information based on feedback from the customer, edits to previous
garment orders, new measurements or changes in the customer avatar.
For example, the customer wants this shirt that he has always liked
and wants to order it again only this time in green. Meanwhile, the
Digital Garment System knows the customer's measurements have
changed, and he is not quite as slim as he used to be. The Digital
Garment System may automatically revise any garment production
information so that the customer still gets the great fit that he
is looking for without having to change the garment size. It is
envisioned that the present invention may operate as a fully
automated system, or in an alternate embodiment may be
semi-automated with manual input at different points along the
way.
[0038] Advantageously, the Digital Garment System provides that the
customer can put together a finished garment of their choice
comprising numerous different garment components, and the finished
garment will be simulated in real time with the exact components
selected by the customer placed on a dimensionally accurate
avatar.
[0039] Currently, there are a limited number of available garment
sizes, digital prints, sleeves and necklines. The Digital Garment
System provides the ability to simulate in real time almost
thousands of possible combinations and produce an infinite number
of combinations for unique garments.
[0040] The Digital Garment System may provide the customer with a
more personalized experience because the garment design and
selection process is at once more intimate and more tangible. The
customer has the ability to use the Digital Garment System to
determine how a particular garment may actually look on them, how
it would work with their body type, and thereby becomes more
relatable as the customer goes through the garment design and
selection process.
[0041] The Digital Garment System may be operated from a local
computer, mobile device, and/or server at a manufacturing or other
site, or preferably operated with the use of cloud computing and
artificial intelligence ("AI") technology. In yet another
embodiment, the Digital Garment System may operate in a hybrid
configuration of local and cloud, such as Edge Computing. In such
configuration, the Digital Garment System may be stored and
operated from a local computer, which synchronizes with central
data server or cloud at a predetermined frequency. Artificial
intelligence further allows the Digital Garment System to become
personal to the customer. By learning, the Digital Garment System
improves the customer experience by providing suggestions and help,
selecting graphic plans and locating clothing styles that makes
them look the way they want to look, and may also learn to
automatically print customized garments based on information
received from a customer regarding the frequency of obtaining new
garments.
[0042] The Digital Garment System may not only collect data along
the customization and manufacturing process and provide
recommendations for particular users, but also apply machine
learning or heuristics to optimize the customization and
manufacturing process and/or make recommendations to consumers,
designers, and manufacturers along the supply chain. For example,
the Digital Garment System may determine a preferred cut, fabric,
pattern, color, or style for a user. Then, it can make
recommendations for future garments for that particular user which
meet those qualifications and which match the nature of intended
use for the particular garment. The Digital Garment System may also
be used to learn and provide information that are not directly
utilized in manufacturing. For example, the Digital Garment System
may determine from the genealogy of garments that have been
previously manufactured what kind of sustainability information is
attached to the type of fabric, what causes allergies and other
issues, and where and when the garment was created. The Digital
Garment System may even suggest new designs and manufacturing
options based on certain consumer trends for the manufacturer or
recommend certain style for a particular consumer based on her
previous orders. Furthermore, the Digital Garment System may
suggest particular colors, fits, fabrics, patterns, or stylizes to
prevent a mismatch with another garment for production. By way of
non-limiting example, the Digital Garment System could recommend
that an athletic garment/jersey not be printed on or produced from
silk or burlap. Preferably, the Digital Garment System would
recognize garments designed for certain purposes and materials most
often utilized for certain garments.
[0043] It should be noted that the input device for the Digital
Garment System of the present invention is not particularly
limited, and may utilize voice and/or image recognition. As an
example, the Garment System may steer a consumer to a particular
design or brand based on images the consumer provides, prior order
history or other related metadata pertaining to the specific
customer, order history of persons with similar likes and
attributers, or to particular items based on ownership of designs
provided.
[0044] Once a personalized garment is finalized, it is added to the
customer's online shopping cart 40, payment is rendered and the
order is submitted to the Digital Garment System for processing as
shown in FIG. 1D.
[0045] Upon submission, orders from multiple customers may be
batched and distributed to garment manufacturing facilities 50, or
micro factories, geographically proximate to the customer as
illustrated in FIG. 1E.
[0046] At the garment manufacturing facility 50, customer orders
may be combined, generating tech packs and optimized markers using
advanced garment manufacturing algorithms as illustrated in FIG.
1F. The garment manufacturing algorithms translate virtual fit into
actual fit which is a significant contributor to customer
satisfaction and the reduction in returns.
[0047] Advantageously, orders from geographically dispersed
customers may be aggregated by the Digital Garment System and then
distributed for manufacture by an optimized group of manufacturing
facilities. Using artificial intelligence, the Digital Garment
System may learn the best path for production of garments based
upon capacity of each manufacturing facility, its proximity to
customers, its proximity to shipping, materials on hand at the
facility and any other parameters that will lead to improved
efficiency and reduced waste.
[0048] As illustrated in FIG. 1G, digital textile print files, with
patented color profile management, are generated with bundle codes
on each garment part. The print file is sent to a digital printer
60 that will apply the colors to the garment fabric 10. The garment
fabric 10 is then automatically fed into a cutter 70 as illustrated
in FIG. 1H where a continuous scan-to-cut operation is completed
and garment work-progress information may be captured.
Alternatively to digital print and cut, the print file may be
output directly to a 3D printer for textiles that will 3D print the
garment to the fit specifications provided by the Digital Garment
System.
[0049] As illustrated in FIG. 1I, the cut garment fabric 10 may be
robotically picked, bundled and scanned for tracking. If desired,
the customer may be notified of their order status at any
intermediate point in the garment production process.
[0050] FIG. 1J illustrates bundles of garment parts transported to
robotic sewing machines 80 driven by pattern data. After sewing,
the finished garments may be automatically packed for delivery or
shipment.
[0051] It will be appreciated that the Digital Garment System
allows the garment to be produced and delivered to the customer the
same day it was ordered as illustrated in FIG. 1K. The customer can
then try on the finished garment and compare the garment with their
original customer order as illustrated in FIG. 1L. Upon trying on
the finished garment, the user can indicate to the system his or
her satisfaction with the printed garment and whether he or she
intends to return the same, and if so, why. This can then cause the
system to automatically recalibrate and update user preferences
based on updated personalization information, including whether the
user did not like the particular fabric, color, pattern, style, or
fit of the garment.
[0052] At the garment manufacturing facility, the Digital Garment
System may create and maintain a genealogy of the individual
garment using garment fibers or anything other indicia suitable for
uniquely identifying the garment. This genealogy may include all
steps in manufacture of the garment to return or recycling of the
garment, including the creation of the fibers and where it is made,
who made it, where it was bought, where it was sold, who owns the
rights to the design of the garment and fabric pattern, and
additional information required for process efficiency, consumer
information or sustainability purposes.
[0053] This creates a history of the created apparel from a
physical as well as digital information perspective. Information
may include all the events associated with the product, who made
it, how it was made, with what materials, at what time, at what
location.
[0054] The genealogy is maintained in a database or "ledger" that
includes information on all steps in manufacture of the garment to
return or recycling of the garment, including the creation of the
fibers and where it is made, who made it, where it was bought,
where it was sold. A ledger basically is a history, a collection of
all the transactions and events throughout the lifecycle of the
garment. There is a separate ledger for each garment that's
manufactured. In addition, the company may have a macro ledger that
includes all of the garments that they have created at that
facility.
[0055] As the ledger is transactional information stored in a
database, the ledger could also use blockchain technologies to
capture that information. QR codes, bar codes or RF ID tags could
be used on a garment to carry the information. Each of these
approaches could be linked to a central storage of that information
as it relates to the garment.
[0056] It may be appreciated that, at some point in the process,
there needs to be some way to reconcile the status of the ledger
with the physical garment. This may be accomplished by a tag, a
label, or a code on the garment. Additionally, optical technologies
may be used to scan the fibers of the garment to detect the
identifying information on a micro level using information in the
fabric itself. Thus, rather than having a tag on the garment, the
Digital Garment System may recognize a "fiber fingerprint" as the
garment goes through the manufacturing process. Such technology is
available, by way of example, from Applied DNA Sciences of Stony
Brook, N.Y. See, http://adnas.com/(last viewed Aug. 27, 2019), and
is discussed in prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,310,885 and 7,409,769.
Applied DNA's authentication technology provides solutions to tag,
test and track raw materials, critical components and finished
products.
[0057] The genealogy information captured in the ledger may be used
for various purposes including garment manufacturing process
improvement, design support and customer recommendations. With AI,
this information can be mined to determine correlation between the
Digital Garment System input parameters and output parameters.
[0058] It may be appreciated that certain processes in the garment
manufacturing process are destructive to the environment and
companies are trying to improve the ecological impact of these
processes. The genealogical information in the ledger would provide
the ability to establish the genesis of the garment and its effect
on the environment.
[0059] The genealogical information in the ledger can also be used
to establish compliance with applicable laws and regulations by the
manufacturing facility in production of the garment. For example,
compliance with labor law requirements. Additionally, genealogical
information can be used to show sustainability of a garment. That
is, how eco-friendly the garment is. For example, the genealogical
information may establish that the garment is made with
non-polluting dyes, created using minimal waste water, and is a
recyclable fabric.
[0060] Because the genealogical information provides a fingerprint
for the garment, a customer can also quickly determine whether the
garment is authentic or merely a knock-off. As such, this is an
authenticity assurance that can be provided by the Digital Garment
System to the ultimate consumer. The Digital Garment System
establishes the garment as authentic by fingerprinting the garment
as part of the manufacturing process. At any point after leaving
the manufacturing facility, the garment can be checked against its
authenticity data to verify that the garment is authentic. A check
of the genealogical information may provide the identity of the
designer, the brand, and all manufacturing details of the
garment.
[0061] As previously mentioned, one implementation of the ledger
may be using blockchain technology. Blockchain is a technology to
track transactions. Blockchain could act as a software ledger that
keeps track of transactions in an encrypted way so that all the
changes stay attached to the garment. Additionally, blockchain
cannot be tampered with and all changes in information related to
the garment are securely tracked.
[0062] The required infrastructure for a blockchain implementation
may developed individually or through an industry consortium.
Currently, Amazon Web Services ("AWS") is offering tools and
support for building of blockchains. See,
https://aws.amazon.com/partners/blockchain/(last viewed Aug. 27,
2019). AWS provides broad and deep capabilities and the largest
global infrastructure for building end-to-end blockchain platforms,
cost efficiently and at scale. APN Technology and Consulting
Partners offer a rapidly growing selection of blockchain and
distributed ledger solutions with support for multiple
protocols.
[0063] It may be appreciated that the concepts described herein are
applicable to not only to physical garments but also to garment
designs. More specifically, the foregoing discussion of creation of
a garment and the process of tracking all the transactions across
the workflow can be equally applied to the garment design itself.
In particular, the creation of a garment design includes certain
design specifications including creative specifications like the
color, the look, and the technical specifications of how to make
the physical garment. The blockchain implementation as described
herein could be associated with a particular garment design and
then that garment design could be offered to the broader textile
community to reuse and monetize creating further garment designs.
As an example, if a designer designs a shirt and it is provided to
the textile community, anybody in the world can use that garment
design and, since the garment design is linked to a blockchain, the
designer may realize some monetary benefit. In this way, a
blockchain implementation may be used to track intellectual
property across the whole value chain where people become designers
not necessarily working for companies anymore but for themselves.
Designers can create garment designs, and these garment design
specifications could also be manufacturer specifications. Others in
the textile community can then use these designs as templates as
part of their further creation of physical garments.
[0064] The Digital Garment System may include system parameters to
control boundaries for physical, visual and brand tolerances
relating to a particular garment. Boundaries that match not only
the tolerances but also the visual and physical appearances of the
garments as well. By way of example, the Burberry plaid may require
an exact thread count and color standard for those threads to
create the plaid. Tolerances are typically fit to the specific
brand. Tolerances for a less-expensive brand may be larger than for
a high-end brand.
[0065] Such system parameters can follow all the way through the
production of a garment, and from a manufacturing perspective,
could affect how manufacture of the garment is set up so that
quality is maintained. For example, maintaining quality control can
cause a lot of sample runs. Samples may be run just for color
matching. Another set of samples may be run just for qualification
of design and construction. If any of the parameters can be managed
in the digital realm rather than the physical realm, sampling time
and cost is saved.
[0066] Advantageously, the Digital Garment System may also
implement a "cut ticket" subsystem for the garments in process at
the manufacturing facility. A cut ticket is a textile industry
concept and was originally a piece of paper that got passed along
from process to process in textile manufacturing. It is typically a
garment order. For example, a work order for "x" number of garments
would indicate the specific material and amount of material that
must be brought to bring to the spreader. The spreader operator
would understand that given this cut ticket, "x" number of plies
must be spread to satisfy this order. Once the spreader completes
this process, the cut ticket is passed to the cutter operator for
cutting of the material. The cut ticket system has been digitally
automated using a file created by the CAD system in textile planner
software.
[0067] The ledger of the Digital Garment System is adapted to
incorporate the cut ticket as a subsystem of the ledger. As
discussed, the ledger tracks all processes and events in the
garment lifecycle. Within this information, the cut ticket is
basically the recipe for creating the garment. The cut ticket
subsystem may feed information to the ledger as to what machine the
garment was cut on, when it was cut, the operator, the material
supplier, color and batch, etc.
[0068] It will be appreciated that a cut ticket could relate to
multiple environments, and the cut ticket information could apply
to multiple garments on that cut ticket. Further, there exists the
opportunity to integrate the cut ticket into a digital print-cut
workflow by either housing the print file or directing the printer
to the location of the print file. This can be applied to plain
fabrics, pre-printed fabrics, and on-demand printed fabrics.
[0069] Another important aspect of the invention is to monitor
color calibration to ensure accurate color selection for the
garment for printing. That is, the metadata for the garment files
that are going to the printer must contain the correct information
to get the exact color desired printed on the garment.
[0070] A simple means may be provided to calibrate computer
monitors to insure color fidelity throughout the garment
manufacturing process. More specifically, once a customer has
chosen a garment color on the computer monitor, a smart phone
application may be used to determine the color coordinates (i.e.,
RGB CMYK values) of the color appearing on the monitor. These color
coordinates may then be compared with values for the true color
thereby providing an offset to be used in the garment manufacturing
process to produce a garment with precisely the color that the
customer selected on the monitor. One such color calibration
product is Coloro. See, https://int.coloro.com/our-system (last
viewed Aug. 27, 2019).
[0071] Another way to ensure that the colors are accurate is for
the customer to directly specify the RGB CMYK values for the
desired color. In yet another way, the color information may be
obtained from or provided by another source. It will be appreciated
that there are color matching applications for smart phones that
can determine the color of an object proximate to the smart phone.
Color picker from A&E is one example of a color matching
application, http://www.amefird.com/color/colorlink/ (last viewed
Aug. 27, 2019).
[0072] The customer must have confidence throughout the process
that they are picking the right color, and then the Digital Garment
System is following that selection through the process to ensure
that the proper color is printed. Not only does the end customer
have a 3-D image, as discussed above, that would display a garment
design with the chosen sleeve, neckline and the like but the chosen
color would also be part of the display. Everything about the
displayed garment design would look the same as the actual garment
when taken out of the box by the customer to wear.
[0073] An important feature of the Digital Garment System is
automatic image replacement. For example, when manufacturing
multiple similar garments, there may be a need to replace a floral
print on the garments with a paisley design. The Digital Garment
System can instantly accommodate this change by altering the
digital file associated with the garment without process
interruption.
[0074] Similarly, the Digital Garment System can alter the size of
a logo on a garment so that the logo dimensions remain proportional
to the overall garment dimensions across all of the standard
garment sizes. If a logo is to appear on a garment in size small,
the dimensions of the logo are automatically proportioned
accordingly. In another example, a school sports jersey with a
school logo on it, the player's name on the back of the jersey can
be automatically changed to produce an individual jersey for each
player on the team.
[0075] It will be appreciated from the foregoing discussion that
the Digital Garment System facilitates the creation of a
multi-sided marketplace as illustrated in FIG. 2, where anyone can
enter and begin interaction with the marketplace on any chosen
level. The multi-sided marketplace can connect consumers, designers
and brands, manufacturing facilities which print, cut, sew, and
ship garments, as well as the transporters of the same, all through
an online cloud which can ideally be accessed through a computer or
mobile application.
[0076] Using a dress as an example, Jane Doe may come into the
marketplace and, because she has some background and design
experience, she knows exactly what image she wants as her digital
print. Additionally, as she has some experience in at least her own
garments or in the industry, so she knows exactly what styling
details she wants. So she either contributes those garment design
details or picks from a menu of what is out there in that
marketplace for her contribution to this design. The next person
who comes in to the marketplace for a dress might not be as
creative as Jane Doe, so they may want this marketplace to provide
the suggestions to them of what are the appropriate print designs.
What is the appropriate fabric? What would make them look more
slim? Accordingly, the marketplace is multi-sided. The participant
in the marketplace might be an entire brand, like Burberry, or it
might be and individual like Jane Doe, an individual off the street
who wants to design and create a one-off garment for herself. And
for all of the garment design elements needed, the person or brand
can contribute their own original ideas or they can pick from an
elaborate menu of ideas that are coming in from others to assemble
a finished garment design.
[0077] Accordingly, the flexibility of the multi-sided marketplace
provides that a participant can come in with a design idea and find
a manufacturer to produce the garment or the participant can come
in with half ideas and complete them in the marketplace. If a
participant is good at manufacturing, they can offer to manufacture
for a participant with a good idea. Similarly, if a participant has
something that needs to go from A to B, shipping can be offered.
Each participant can add value at their own level in the
marketplace.
[0078] As for payment systems, an e-commerce or blockchain system
may be implemented as needed for processing of payments from the
end customer and payments to each individual in the marketplace
that contributed value and so they get their portion of that
payment.
[0079] Taken together, the present invention provides an innovative
method for collecting and customizing orders, managing data,
tracking the production process, and tracing garments through the
manufacturing process, all via a fully automated or semi-automated
process.
[0080] While the invention has been described with reference to
exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in
the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be
substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope
of the invention. In addition, many modifications will be
appreciated by those skilled in the art to adapt a particular
teaching of the invention without departing from the essential
scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be
limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode
contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the
invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of
the appended claims.
* * * * *
References